{"id":20640,"date":"2014-12-17T11:54:23","date_gmt":"2014-12-17T17:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=20640"},"modified":"2014-12-22T02:34:56","modified_gmt":"2014-12-22T08:34:56","slug":"alan-gross-released-amid-u-s-cuba-reforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/alan-gross-released-amid-u-s-cuba-reforms\/","title":{"rendered":"Alan Gross released amid U.S.-Cuba reforms"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON (JTA) \u2013 The Obama administration announced the release of Alan Gross amidst sweeping changes in Cuba-U.S. ties, including a return to full diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n

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According to a report from NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, a corned beef sandwich – Gross’ favorite – was requested to be waiting for him to eat on the flight home.<\/p>\n

Separately from Gross release, the United States and Cuba are exchanging the three members of the \u201cCuban Five\u201d Florida-based spy ring who were still in prison, and a spy for the United States who had been incarcerated for 20 years and whose identity remains a secret.<\/p>\n

Obama administration officials, speaking on background, insisted that Gross was not part of the exchange; in fact, Gross\u2019s imprisonment held up changes to the U.S.-Cuba relationship Obama had intended on initiating years ago, they said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that Alan was wrongfully imprisoned and overjoyed that Alan will be reunited with his family in this holiday season of Chanukah,\u201d a senior administration official said in a conference call with reporters.<\/p>\n

The call outlined sweeping changes, including full diplomatic relations at the embassy level and a loosening of trade and travel restrictions. Republicans who have opposed easing the Cuba embargo immediately blasted the deal. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL.), himself born to Cuban parents, told Fox News Network that President Obama was \u201cthe worst negotiator since at least Jimmy Carter, and maybe in the history of this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jewish groups welcomed the deal, however, and noted the political difficulties it must have created for the Obama administration.<\/p>\n

\"Cuba

Gross was arrested in 2009 after setting up Internet access for the Cuban Jewish community while working as a contractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development,. He recently marked the completion of his fifth year in prison.
\nGross 65, of Potomac, MD., reportedly is in ill health and has lost more than 100 pounds since his incarceration and has suffered from painful arthritis.<\/p>\n

The senior administration official who spoke to reporters said the Vatican played a key role in negotiating the deal, in part through Pope Francis\u2019 pleas to Cuba to release Gross as a humanitarian gesture.<\/p>\n

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